ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512180001
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
New River Community College is offering six minicourses on Saturdays in February for children 5 and older, as well as activities for their parents.
A set of five classes will be offered at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. covering art, dance, music, nature and computers, not only for children but for their parents as well. "They can sit in on four sessions free of charge if they bring a student," said Debbie Douthat, assistant chairwoman of the school's Division of Arts and Sciences.
For parents not joining their children in class but staying on campus, the college will offer two special activities each Saturday for minimal fees: making a winter sweat-shirt for yourself Feb. 3, how to choose flattering fashions for your figure Feb. 10, personal safety Feb. 17, and turning old photos into keepsakes Feb. 24.
The children's classes will be patterned on last year's highly successful Science in Motion classes at the Southwest Virginia Governor's School.
"With the community college right here, it gives us an opportunity to serve all ages," said Douthat, "and I'm hoping over the next year to offer something to serve everybody each semester."
Children and parents can often start on an equal footing in classes such as beginning guitar, she said. "If you've never played a guitar, it wouldn't make any difference whether you're 6 or 60. You're still starting out at the same level."
Participants are being sought from Montgomery, Pulaski, Floyd, Giles and Wythe counties and the city of Radford. Further information and brochures with application forms are available by calling Douthat at 674-3600, 382-4595, 745-4595 or 921-4595, extension 292. Early registration is recommended because of limited class sizes.
"It's going to be fun, and they're going to learn," Douthat said.
Wynne Hodges, from the adjunct faculty at Radford University and who has taught previously at the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley, will teach art courses at 10 a.m. for ages 8 to 10, 11 a.m. for 11 to 13, and 1 and 2 p.m. for ages 6 to 10. Students will use everyday materials to create two- and three-dimensional expressive works such as collages and puppets.
Charlotte Crittenden, with 15 years of dance experience, will teach classes in creative movement starting with basic ballet and stretching exercises and going into creative dancing. Those classes will be taught at 10 a.m. for children ages 5 to 7 , and 11 a.m. for ages 8 to 10.
Beginner guitar will be taught by Peter Golladay, the community college's music appreciation and guitar instructor who also teaches classical guitar at Radford University and gives private lessons. Four classes will be offered, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for ages 6 to 13 and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for ages 13 and up.
Nature in winter, taught by Clyde Kessler of the Pulaski County school system, will include field trips, habitat observations and studies from the smallest insects to birds. The sessions will be 10 a.m. for ages 8 to 10, 11 a.m. for 6 to 7, and 1 and 2 p.m. for ages 11 to 12.
Melanie Ondich, who has a dance studio in Pulaski, will offer beginner clogging classes at 1 and 2 p.m. for ages 7 and up, with one complete routine taught by the end of the four sessions.
Dave Cooper of the community college faculty will teach a computer course, with one morning intermediate class and a beginner class in the afternoon. Students will use computers with Microsoft Windows to explore desktop publishing, multimedia programs, learning games and the Internet.
Creative movement and nature classes are $15 each; art, beginner guitar and clogging, $20 each; and computers, $50. Each computer class is two hours long. All other classes are 50 minutes.
One makeup day is planned for March 2, in case classes are canceled because of bad weather.
LENGTH: Medium: 71 linesby CNB